December
HSP Announces Two New Exhibitions
Updike Farmstead Celebrates the First Day of Winter
September
HSP To Lauch OnCell Mobile Walking Tour
August
Updike Farmstead’s Historic Barn Roof Replacement
June
HSP Awarded New Jersey Historical Commission Mini Grant
May
Marshall Tucker Band to Perform at HSP’s Updike Farmstead
April
HSP Celebrates the Lincoln Highway Centennial
March
Alice Greenwald to Speak in Princeton
February
Historical Society of Princeton Anniversary and Opening
January
Historical Society of Princeton presents “The Insider’s Guide to America Today”
Mary Stumpf at the Battle of Princeton (Rescheduled)
The following program was rescheduled from January 3, due to snow.
In celebration of the anniversary of the Battle of Princeton, the Historical Society of Princeton and the Princeton Public Library are pleased to present the program, Mary Stumpf at the Battle of Princeton, on Friday, January 31, 2014 at 4:00 PM.
The Battle of Princeton took place on the frigid morning of January 3, 1777. The danger and excitement of that day are seen through the eyes of the 12 year old heroine of the new novel, Mary Stumpf at the Battle of Princeton. Author Laura Crockett will describe the events that took place 237 years ago on the Thomas Clarke farm and how the novel evolved from a character in her play, “Ghosts of Princeton Battlefield.” There will be a book signing after the presentation.
“I created Mary because I wanted a voice for this piece of history. Specifically, I wanted a character who could speak to children and young people about the American Revolution,” said Ms. Crocket. “I also wanted these future generations to be aware of preservation issues, for it is our children and grandchildren who will inherit all that we choose to preserve.“
This free program is recommended for children 8 years and up, and will take place in the 3rd Floor Story Room of the Princeton Public Library.
For teenagers and adults, the Historical Society will be leading a tour of historic Stony Brook on Saturday, January 4, at 1:00 PM. Following a portion of the trail George Washington took from Trenton to the Battlefield, this 90 minute tour includes stops at the Stony Brook Meeting House and cemetery. Starts at Updike Farmstead, 354 Quaker Road. FREE, with museum admission ($4). Registration is not required.
HSP Announces Two New Exhibitions for 2014
The Historical Society of Princeton is pleased to announce two exhibitions devoted to the work of the Queenston Press, organized around portfolios created as part of Princeton’s 1976 celebration of the American Bicentennial. At Bainbridge House, the Historical Society’s headquarters at 158 Nassau Street, visitors can view “The Queenston Press: The Bicentennial Portfolio”, which charts the town’s growth and place in the nation’s history through prints of such sites as the Delaware-Raritan Canal, Princeton University’s Nassau Hall, Morven, and Princeton Cemetery.
The Historical Society’s six-acre Updike Farmstead, which lies along the route followed by Continental troops on their way to engage British soldiers at the neighboring farm, is the setting for “The Queenston Press: The Ten Crucial Days Portfolio.” Prints in this portfolio interpret the dramatic events that unfolded between the time George Washington crossed the Delaware on Christmas Day, 1776, and the surrender of British troops in Princeton ten days later. Both of the exhibitions will contextualize these important and significant prints and their makers through video, interactive elements, and images of the artists at work.
Both exhibitions are on view from January 18 through July 6, 2014. The Opening Reception to celebrate the artists and their work will be on Saturday, January 18 from 3 to 6 pm. this will be a joint reception with the Arts Council of Princeton and the Princeton Public Library. Admission is free and visitors are encouraged to visit all exhibition locations.
For more information, please visit www.princetonhistory.org.
The PNC Foundation is the generous Lead Funder for the 2014 Concentric Circles of Influence: The Queenston Press exhibitions at the Arts Council of Princeton, Historical Society of Princeton, and the Princeton Public Library.
Updike Farmstead Celebrates the First Day of Winter
On December 21, the Historical Society of Princeton’s Updike Farmstead will be open to the public. From noon to 4 PM, visitors are invited to explore the six acre grounds and browse museum galleries in the renovated late 18th/early 19th century farmhouse. To honor the first day of winter, a variety of special activities are planned, included with museum admission ($4).
At 12:11 PM, the exact time of the Winter Solstice, there will be a story time for children featuring Denise Fleming’s The First Day of Winter. Families can participate throughout the day in a “Signs of Winter” scavenger hunt. At the top of each hour there will be a slide show of snow scenes from the Historical Society’s archives.
This is the last opportunity to see Call to Action: How a President Used Art to Sway a Nation, an exhibition of World War I propaganda posters. Also on view is A Morning at Updike Farmstead: Photographs by the Princeton Photography Club, paintings by the A-TEAM artists of Trenton and two galleries dedicated to the history of the Farmstead and the Princeton Battlefield/Stony Brook Settlement Historic District.
At 1:00, there will be a 90 minute guided walking tour of Stony Brook. The tour will trace part of the route followed by George Washington and his troops on their way to engage British soldiers at the neighboring Thomas Clarke farm at Princeton Battlefield.
Starting in 2014, the Farmstead will be open on the first Saturday each month, noon to 4 PM. Special activities will be offered each month around a different theme. The subject for January 4 is “The Battle of Princeton,” which took place on January 3, 1777.
The Updike Farmstead is located at 354 Quaker Road, Princeton. For more information, visit www.princetonhistory.org or call (609) 921-6748 x102.
Historical Society of Princeton To Lauch OnCell Mobile Walking Tour
The Historical Society of Princeton, New Jersey, plans to launch their new mobile tour this month, which will highlight the history of African Americans in Princeton and the historic Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood. The mobile tour, provided by OnCell, is available on any cell phone or smartphone, and will include audio, images and GeoAlerts, which help visitors locate points of interest along the tour.
The mobile development of the Albert E. Hinds Memorial Walking Tour: African American Life in Princeton is made possible thanks to the receipt of a mini grant award from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State.
“The creation of a digital version of the Albert E. Hinds Memorial Walking Tour will improve the Historical Society’s interpretation of the historic sites in the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood, which has been significantly altered by development and changing demographics in Princeton,” said Eve Mandel, Director of Programs and Visitor Services. “By making this information accessible 24/7 and to a much broader public, particularly a younger, tech-savvy audience, we can increase interest and understanding of local history.”
Shirley Satterfield, a resident of the community and member of the first integrated class at Nassau School, helped the Historical Society develop the tour. Members of the public will be able to access audio narratives, recorded by Ms. Satterfield, through their cell phones. Users with smartphones will have access to a multi-layered and dynamic self-guided tour experience, including both historic and current images of sites featured on the tour. These materials will allow even those who cannot physically walk the tour route to experience the walking tour virtually.
With plans to launch the OnCell mobile tour on September 28, in honor of Annual Museum Day, the Society will market their tour with a postcard distribution and newspaper advertisements in the the Trenton Times and Princeton Packet. A large tour banner will be installed as well as indoor signs.
As a complement to the public and private tours led by the Society’s team of dedicated and knowledgeable walking tour guides, the OnCell mobile tour may also become an option for the classic Princeton History tour in the future.
“In addition to highlighting well-known individuals like Paul Robeson, the tour also preserves an oral history of daily life in the community,” said Mandel.
About the Historical Society of Princeton
Inspired by the worldly and entrepreneurial spirit of the citizens of Princeton, and graced by the important legacy of the town, the Historical Society of Princeton develops signature programs of learning and discovery to connect the lessons of the past to the issues which inform our future. Using our historic sites and collections, we teach local and international visitors that history is relevant in daily life, and can be used to explore a shared connection among people; to celebrate a love of place; and to promote conversations on creating a better future. To learn more, visit www.princetonhistory.org.
About OnCell
OnCell provides a full range of mobile tour solutions including: smartphone tours, mobile web tours, QR code tours, cell phone tours, mobile surveys, GeoAlerts, scavenger hunts/games, custom apps and app channels – all integrated onto a single platform. We are mobile communication experts who are passionate about the arts and education. We’ve worked on over 1,200 projects both in the U.S. and internationally since OnCell’s inception in 2006. Visit www.oncell.com to learn more!
Updike Farmstead’s Historic Barn Roof Replacement
The Historical Society of Princeton has recently replaced the roof on the large barn at the Updike Farmstead. Those that drive Quaker Road every day may have noticed the roofers working during the month of August. The roof replacement is the beginning phase of the building’s stabilization for future public use. Baxter Construction of Hopewell has very skillfully managed this project, overseeing the excellent work of Boyd Roofing.
In 2006, the Society named the large barn for the Wojciechowicz family. Carol Wojciechowicz has been leading a fundraising campaign ever since to honor the memory of her husband Alex, daughter Didder, and grandson Heath. The Society is very proud to be able to thank the large number of donors over these past few years that have supported both the Society and the legacy of the Wojciechowicz family.
The Updike Farmstead is listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places and lies within Princeton Township’s Princeton Battlefield/Stony Brook Settlement Historic District, which is along the route followed by George Washington and his troops on their way to engage British soldiers at the neighboring Thomas Clarke farm at Princeton Battlefield.
Benjamin Clarke, an early Stony Brook settler, first owned the land as part of a 1200-acre parcel he purchased in 1696. The property, which was divided up over time, remained in the hands of his descendents for over 150 years. In 1892, George Furman Updike Sr. acquired approximately 190 acres of the original farmland and added buildings to the site, including the large barn. The Historical Society acquired the six acre property in 2004.
Currently on display in the renovated late 18th/early 19th century farmhouse is Call to Action: How a President Used Art to Sway a Nation, an exhibition of the Historical Society’s World War I posters. Also on view is A Morning at Updike Farmstead: Photographs by the Princeton Photography Club and paintings by the A-TEAM artists of Trenton.
For information about farmhouse museum hours and special events, including Stony Brook walking tours, visit www.princetonhistory.org.
Historical Society of Princeton Awarded New Jersey Historical Commission Mini Grant
The Historical Society of Princeton is pleased to announce the receipt of a $4,068 mini grant award from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State. The grant funds will support the development of a digital version of the Society’s Albert E. Hinds Memorial Walking Tour: African American Life in Princeton.
This extremely popular tour explores the history of African Americans in Princeton and the historic Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood. Stops include the building that housed the Witherspoon Street School for Colored Children, Paul Robeson’s birthplace, and Birch Avenue, where many houses were relocated during the development of Palmer Square.
Shirley Satterfield, a resident of the community and member of the first integrated class at Nassau School, created the tour with the Historical Society. It is currently available only by following a self-guided map, or as a private, guided tour.
To be hosted through On Cell Systems, a mobile tour company, the digital tour will allow members of the public to access audio narratives, recorded by Ms. Satterfield, through their cell phones. Users with smart phones will have access to a multi-layered and dynamic self-guided tour experience, including both historic and current images of sites featured on the tour. These materials will allow even those who cannot physically walk the tour route to experience the walking tour virtually.
The Historical Society of Princeton also receives an operating support grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission. The Commission’s competitive grant process provides support for projects dedicated to the advancement of public knowledge and preservation of New Jersey history.
The Marshall Tucker Band to Perform at the Historical Society of Princeton’s Updike Farmstead
The Historical Society of Princeton is pleased to be hosting its second annual Concert Under the Stars fundraiser on June 15, 2013, from 6:30 – 9:30 PM.
This year’s event will feature a 90-minute live performance by The Marshall Tucker Band, the southern rock band known for “Heard It In A Love Song” and “Can’t You See,” which, in 2012, was named Ultimate Classic Rock’s “greatest Southern rock song ever recorded.” Their style, combining rock, country and jazz, has pleased audiences for more than forty years.
Concert-goers are encouraged to wear blue jeans and boots to fit the fun and casual atmosphere of the Updike Farmstead. Sweet Tea and Southern Comfort punch compliment a delicious summer spread prepared by Main Street catering,
In addition, guests can explore the grounds and tour the renovated late 18th/early 19th century farmhouse, where an exhibition of the Historical Society’s World War I posters, Call to Action: How a President Used Art to Sway a Nation, is on view. A Morning at Updike Farmstead: Photographs by the Princeton Photography Club and paintings by the A-TEAM artists of Trenton are also on display.
A Concert Under the Stars invites the Princeton community to support the Historical Society’s efforts to create this new backyard for Princeton. Event net proceeds go to support the Society’s wide range of community programs that educate and inspire.
Star level corporate sponsorship for the event has been received from Peapack-Gladstone Bank Private Banking and Baxter Construction.
“We rely on the support of these amazing companies to bolster our mission and to share the lessons of Princeton’s history with each new generation,” said the Society’s Board President, Scott Sipprelle.
New this year is a “Bring Your Friends” ticket: 8 tickets for $1000, a savings of $200 over the $150 individual ticket price. Stargazer level tickets are $350, and include first-out onsite parking.
Tickets are available online at www.princetonhistory.org, or by phone: (609) 921-6748 x105.
The Historical Society of Princeton Celebrates the Lincoln Highway Centennial
America’s first transcontinental road, the Lincoln Highway, originates in Times Square, New York and terminates in Lincoln Park, San Francisco, traversing across a total of 14 states. The route has become affectionately known as “The Main Street Across America.”
Envisioned by Carl Fisher, an Indianapolis Automobile entrepreneur who also developed the idea of the Indianapolis 500, the Lincoln Highway is the largest memorial to President Abraham Lincoln, predating his monument in Washington, D.C. by 9 years. As the first automobile road across America, the Lincoln Highway brought great prosperity to the hundreds of cities, towns and villages along the way.
In Princeton, Nassau Street became a part of the Lincoln Highway when it was established in 1913. In conjunction with its current exhibition, We ♥ Princeton: Stories from the Street, the Historical Society of Princeton is honoring the Lincoln Highway Centennial with a musical performance on Friday, April 19 entitled An American Songline: A Musical Journey Along The Lincoln Highway.
Cecelia Otto, a classically trained singer, composer, educator, writer and self proclaimed “Professional Artistic Journeywoman,” will perform music from the 1910s, 20s and 30s. A mix of folk songs, show tunes, operetta and classical numbers, the program consists of songs either about the Lincoln Highway, or ones once performed at concert halls along the highway in the first decades of its existence.
Music is an integral part of American history and culture, and Ms. Otto hopes to share that history with as many public audiences as possible.
“I named this project American Songline to celebrate the roads that our ‘ancestors’ made and to allow them to live again through music,” says Otto. “I will travel the entire length of the route from New York to California over several months, giving musical performances in every state. I will then not only write about the journey, but also write new music as well. American Songline will thus be both a book and a CD about my journey across the country.” Her project has been endorsed by the National Lincoln Highway Association. For more information, visit http://americansongline.net
When: Friday, April 19, 5-7 PM
Where: Bainbridge House, 158 Nassau Street, Princeton
Cost: Free, donations accepted
Alice Greenwald to Speak in Princeton on March 14th
Alice Greenwald, Director of the 9/11 Memorial Museum, will speak in the Community Room of the Princeton Public Library on Thursday, March 14th, 2013, at 7:00 pm. The talk,“Memory and Meaning: Building a Vision for a Museum at Ground Zero,” will focus on the challenges of commemorating the attacks of September 11th and outline theprocess of planning the museum.
The National September 11 Memorial Museum will serve as the country’s principal institution for examining the implications of the events of 9/11, documenting the impact of those events and exploring the continuing significance of September 11, 2001. Providing visitors with access to the historic assets preserved at the World Trade Center site, the Museum will display both the monumental artifacts associated with the events of 9/11 and focus on the human dimension of history by narrating the personal stories behind these events.
Also serving as Executive Vice President for Programs at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center, Ms. Greenwald previously served as Associate Museum Director for Museum Programs for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. Greenwald has also served as Executive Director of the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia; Acting Director, Curator and Assistant Curator of the Hebrew Union College Skirball Museum in Los Angeles; and Curatorial Assistant at the Maurice Spertus Museum in Judaica, Chicago.
The event is co-sponsored by the Public History Initiative (Department of History, Princeton University), the Princeton Public Library, the Historical Society of Princeton, and Princeton University’s Program in American Studies. Richard Anderson, a graduate history student at Princeton University and coordinator of the Public History Initiative, noted that the attacks of September 11th were felt on both the national and local level, with twenty-seven Mercer County residents among the victims. “The Public History Initiative wanted to hold a history-related event that would be meaningful to the entire Princeton community, not just to scholars,” he said. “Ms. Greenwald’s talk is a natural fit because the events of 9/11 had an enormous impact on Mercer County.”
The event is free and open to the public, but space will be limited. Reservations are not required.
The Princeton Public Library is located at 65 Witherspoon Street, at the corner of Witherspoon and Wiggins Streets, in Princeton Borough. Library parking is available in the Municipal Garage at Spring Street, located adjacent to the library. For directions, please visit www.princetonlibrary.org.
For more information on the event, please e-mail Richard Anderson at raatwo@princeton.edu or TQuinn@princetonlibrary.org.
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Historical Society of Princeton Anniversary and Opening
The Historical Society of Princeton, founded on February 14, 1938, is pleased to announce the following events in conjunction with its 75th anniversary:
On February 14, from 12-4 PM, join us for an ANNIVERSARY PARTY celebration! Bainbridge House will offer free admission on Valentine’s Day for visitors to preview the new exhibit, We ♥ Princeton: Stories from the Street, and enjoy some sweet treats! Bring your kids; bring your grandkids; bring your sweetheart!
The OPENING RECEPTION for We ♥ Princeton: Stories from the Street, will be held on March 7, from 5 to 8 PM. The exhibition is an interactive look at what the names of Princeton’s streets reveal about the people, places and events that make up its history. This event is included as a part of Princeton ArtWalk, a series which highlights the rich array of visual arts resources available in downtown Princeton.
Historical Society of Princeton presents “The Insider’s Guide to America Today”
The Historical Society of Princeton invites friends and members to the 2013 Annual Meeting and Lewis B. Cuyler Lecture, to be held at the Nassau Club, 6 Mercer Street, on Wednesday, February 6, at 7 PM.
Dr. Frank Newport, long-time Gallup Editor-in-Chief, will be the guest speaker, presenting “The Insider’s Guide to America Today.” Newport will take the audience through a tour of the American public in the year 2013 – from politics, to social issues, to religion, to life satisfaction. In addition to looking at key trends that will affect the nation in the years ahead, Newport will reveal the Top 10 things about the American public that most people don’t know.
Gallup, founded in Princeton by Dr. George Gallup, has been monitoring American public opinion continuously since 1935, and now conducts interviews in more than 150 countries, including more than 350,000 interviews with Americans on a daily basis each year. Dr. Newport will touch on the history of the venerable firm, and the ways in which public opinion research has changed and continues to change through the decades.
Dr. Newport’s work focuses primarily on the analysis of the American public’s views of their elected officials, public attitudes and behavior relating to key policy and issue areas, the economy, religion, well-being, and indicators of public mood and consumer behavior. His analyses appear on gallup.com, in his blog “Polling Matters”, in books and other publications, and on video, podcasts and through radio and television appearances. His most recent book, God is Alive and Well: The Future of Religion in America, was published in December 2012.
The event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. To RSVP, please call 609.921.6748 x105, or e-mail jennie@princetonhistory.org.
On February 14, the Historical Society unveils its newest exhibition, We ♥ Princeton: Stories from the Street, an interactive look at what the names of Princeton’s streets reveal about the people, places and events that make up its history. Bainbridge House (158 Nassau Street) hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 12-4 PM; admission is $4, free for HSP members. For more information, visit www.princetonhistory.org.
ABOUT THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF PRINCETON – 2013 marks the 75th anniversary of the Historical Society of Princeton (HSP). Founded in 1938, HSP is a museum and library dedicated to interpreting the history of Princeton, New Jersey. Home to a vast collection of artifacts, manuscripts and photographs, HSP offers a wide array of exhibitions, lectures and public programs each year to schools, adults and families at its two locations, Bainbridge House and the Updike Farmstead. Visit us at www.princetonhistory.org.